Transiting at LHR from the US
Jun 23, 2021, 2:14 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SBA
Programs: UA & AA 1 million miler
Posts: 1,134
Transiting at LHR from the US
I know I need a proof of COVID-19 negative test result even as a transit passenger at LHR...
Has anyone used the Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Proctored Home Antigen Test successfully to fly to the UK?
Has anyone used the Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Proctored Home Antigen Test successfully to fly to the UK?
Jun 27, 2021, 4:24 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 751
We used exactly that test at LHR today without a problem. We showed them the eMed lab report pdf, not the Navica app.
Jun 27, 2021, 5:25 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SBA
Programs: UA & AA 1 million miler
Posts: 1,134
Did you have a choice to get the eMed lab report pdf separately instead of the test result in the Navica app, or everybody gets the pdf report no matter what? Do you know?
Jun 28, 2021, 2:20 am
#5
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 751
That's great to hear! I have a flight to LIS via LHR, so I can use the Abbott BinaxNOW™at LHR as a transit passenger.
Did you have a choice to get the eMed lab report pdf separately instead of the test result in the Navica app, or everybody gets the pdf report no matter what? Do you know?
Did you have a choice to get the eMed lab report pdf separately instead of the test result in the Navica app, or everybody gets the pdf report no matter what? Do you know?
Jun 28, 2021, 8:38 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 29
Can you clarify our is “them” that you showed the results to? Was this an airline, if so which one that accepted the results. Many posters have pointed out that each airline has their rules and those checking you in are the gate keepers. I would be cautious.
Jun 28, 2021, 2:04 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 751
We showed the results to BA/IB for the flight to London and to the border officer at LHR. In both cases they were satisfied.
Jun 29, 2021, 6:06 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2008
Location: "the world is my country"
Programs: Alaska 100K (aka OWS)
Posts: 811
Thanks for your "on the ground" report. I emailed the eMed company with UK's specific requirements for the test, and this is what he sent back:
"Thank you for contacting eMed.
Thank you for sharing that valuable information with us. I would like to share with you that the Abbott’s BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag At-Home Test is an antigen test The test delivers results in just 15 minutes with no instrumentation, using proven lateral flow technology. The test has a demonstrated sensitivity of 91.7% and specificity of 98.5%, so seemingly it meets the requirements you previously mentioned.
I would also like to share with you this link https://www.fda.gov/media/144574/download by using this link you will be able to see all the info that is contained in the test results as well as a lot of really important info regarding the testing process.
Thank you for contacting eMed Customer Support.
Regards,
Diego Armando Taborda Marin"
For those curious, the UK requirements for a covid test are as follows "
Type of test
You must make sure that the test provider you choose can meet the standards for pre-departure testing.The test must meet performance standards of ≥80% sensitivity , ≥97% specificity, at viral loads above 100,000 copies/ml.
This could include tests such as:
- a nucleic acid test, including a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or derivative technologies, including loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) tests
- an antigen test, such as a test from a lateral flow device"
Jul 1, 2021, 6:04 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2008
Location: "the world is my country"
Programs: Alaska 100K (aka OWS)
Posts: 811
Initially I received the standard "go check it out yourself, we aren't responsible for your issues". But then I emailed back, saying that I would post their answer on the Flyertalk Forum, and got a completely different answer!
Jul 14, 2021, 3:40 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 2
Have any other BA or AA travelers successfully used the Abbott BinaxNOW test at LHR?
Since the original post, I’m wondering if any more travelers have transited through LHR with this test on AA or BA? Did they accept the test in advance through the VeriFLY app? We fly LAX-LHR-NCE on 19 July and I’m hoping to hear that this test is acceptable.
Jul 14, 2021, 3:48 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 29
I used it arriving LHR July 6th. (PHX-LAX-LHR) Had a travel lab that conducted the test, and listed the test type on the results. The gate agent verified the test results, and was not very familiar with the antigen test type, but read through the requirements on her screen and it was all good. VeriFLY had accepted the test results, but PHX doesn’t use VeriFLY. The gate agent in Phoenix was the only person who checked the paperwork.
Jul 14, 2021, 4:28 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 2
BinaxNOW specificity/sensitivity included on PDF?
For two of us, the PDF (which looks exactly like any other lab report, showing “negative,” date of birth etc), came automatically within a few minutes by email; the third one of us lost the connection during the testing and had to re-connect to complete the process; in that case we had to email eMed customer service and ask for the PDF, which came through a couple of hours later. One other thing: when you start the eMed process, you need to specify that you’re doing that test for return to the US on one of the airlines they work with (AA, DL etc). Strictly speaking, it’s not intended for use in transit at LHR.
Jul 26, 2021, 12:54 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG100, Hyatt Globalist, MGM Gold, Caesars Diamond
Posts: 636
Did they accept the test?